Magic or Not?

Another book in Edward Eager's Tales of Magic series, Magic or Not? introduces a new set of children, in a different time. If I had to guess, I'd say it is probably in the mid-50's.

The Story: Laura and her brother, James (and of course their parents, and their little sister, ) move into a new house in a new town, and they meet a nice boy, named Kip, and a strange new neighbor, named Lydia. It starts when Laura wonders if the old well in their backyard is a magic wishing well. This book is less overtly magical than the others, because it is never clear if the happenings are due to magic or chance, or if they make their own magic.

The Good: I love the characters, especially Lydia and the strange Miss Isabella King. The kids are again well written characters, and the adventures they go on, even if they are not magical for sure, are lots of fun.

The Bad: I kept waiting for something completely magical to happen, and in that I was a little disappointed. As in the other books, the kids have a lot more free reign than we would let kids have today, but it isn't dreadful.

The Verdict: Not my favorite in the series, but still good. There are a lot of examples in the book about the first impression of a person not necessarily being the most accurate, and that is a good lesson to learn. I guess I prefer the more fantastical magic stories, though.